The Broken Halo

Marek’s final words left the assembly ground quiet.

Many of the recruits had entered Black Horn expecting a battle for territory, merits, and treasure. The idea that the two worlds were fighting over something far greater than physical land changed the meaning of the campaign before them.

Some demons looked toward the direction of the rift with new caution.

Others looked at it with even greater greed.

Marek allowed both reactions.

”If this campaign succeeds, crossing into Earth will only be the first step,” he continued. ”We must secure the land around the rift, destroy or drive away the humans defending it, build the necessary formations, and hold that territory long enough for our Demonic Energy and Chaos to spread.”

His hand lowered toward the stone beneath his feet.

”When that contamination reaches a certain point, the captured region becomes a Demonized Territory.”

A recruit near the front frowned as though trying to understand the difference between ordinary conquered land and what Marek had described.

The Commander noticed.

”At first, that land remains part of Earth,” he explained. ”Its mountains do not fly through the rift. Its rivers do not suddenly appear inside the Demon Realm. Anyone looking at a map would say the territory still belongs to Earth.”

Marek paused.

”But laws are more important than maps.”

His pale-orange eyes swept over the rows.

”Once demonic contamination takes root, the Demon Realm begins claiming that territory on a level most of you cannot see.”

The land gradually stopped behaving like ordinary Earth.

Demonic Energy became easier for demons to absorb and recover. Their bodies adapted more comfortably to the surrounding environment, while human Aether users found their control weakening.

Demonic beasts could survive without constantly resisting Earth’s World Law.

Plants changed.

Some died because they could not endure demonic energy and Chaos, while others mutated into darker, more violent forms capable of absorbing Demonic Energy. Aether-filled minerals buried beneath the ground slowly lost their original nature and became compatible with demons.

”The deeper the contamination spreads, the greater the changes,” Marek said. ”The temperature may rise or fall without following Earth’s seasons. The atmosphere can become heavier. Storms may carry Demonic Energy. Gravity can change within small areas. In severely corrupted regions, even the colour of the sky may begin resembling our own.”

A few recruits raised their heads toward the crimson moon above Velmora.

”Humans call such lands cursed zones, hell zones, corrupted lands, demonic zones, and many other names. To us, they are territories being prepared for our realm.”

Sonya’s grin widened as she immensely interested in everything Marek was saying. Akaza remained attentive, while Simon watched Marek without any visible reaction.

”The rift is essential to this process,” Marek continued. ”A natural rift connects one part of Earth to one part of the Demon Realm. Some remain open for minutes. Others last for months or years. A few become permanent.”

He pointed toward the direction of the campaign grounds.

”But even a permanent rift is only a wound between worlds. A wound can close.”

Marek curled his hand into a fist.

”If demons build enough formations and arrays around the Earth side, feed those formations with Demonic Energy, and contaminate enough of the surrounding land, the rift becomes something more.”

”An anchor.”

The word travelled through the assembly ground.

An assimilation anchor did not pull buildings, mountains, or rivers physically through the rift.

It pulled on something less visible.

The World Law controlling the contaminated territory.

”Think of it this way,” Marek said. ”Earth’s World Law claims that the land belongs to Earth. The Demon Realm’s World Law begins making the same claim. The more Demonic Energy we pour into the region, the weaker Earth’s hold becomes.”

The rift allowed the law of the Demon Realm to reach across the boundary separating both worlds.

The surrounding formations gave that law a place to settle.

The demons occupying the region protected it while the contamination spread deeper into the ground, the atmosphere, and the local Aether veins.

Eventually, the balance changed.

”Earth loses ownership of the territory,” Marek said.

A murmur travelled through several rows.

”Once assimilation is complete, destroying or closing the original rift will not return the land to normal. The territory will remain compatible with demons because the World Law governing it has already changed.”

That was the true difference between temporary contamination and assimilation.

A contaminated battlefield could recover.

A fully assimilated territory had already changed sides.

”If enough Demonized Territories appear near one another, their borders begin joining,” Marek continued. ”One claimed city connects to another. A forest between them changes. Then the roads, mountains, rivers, and smaller settlements follow.”

The Demon Realm expanded without its physical borders moving.

Earth did not become smaller on a map, but the amount of Earth governed by Earth’s World Law decreased. At the same time, the territory governed by the laws of the Demon Realm increased.

”If this continues long enough, Earth could become a subordinate realm beneath ours,” Marek said. ”It might partially merge with the Demon Realm. Or, given enough time and enough victories, Earth could be swallowed completely.”

The hunger in the recruits’ eyes changed again.

This was no longer the conquest of a city.

It was the conquest of a world.

Marek’s expression grew more solemn.

”And every territory assimilated into our world strengthens the Demon Realm as a whole.”

The opposite was equally true.

Whenever humans crossed a rift, conquered demonic land, and purified it with Aether and Order, the Demon Realm lost a small part of its metaphysical territory. Its World Law weakened in that region, while Earth became stronger.

A single minor tribe meant almost nothing.

Thousands of territories accumulated across centuries meant far more.

”The most powerful demons have studied this for generations,” Marek said. ”Demon Kings, ancient clans, royal families, and scholars who understand World Laws believe every realm possesses something known as a World Core.”

The World Core was not necessarily a physical object buried beneath the ground.

It was the heart of the world.

The source from which its World Law, natural energy, and limits were born.

”A realm can only produce what its World Core is strong enough to support,” Marek explained. ”A shallow lake cannot contain an ocean. In the same way, a weak world cannot easily produce beings whose power exceeds what its laws can endure.”

Several recruits immediately understood why demons at the peak of power cared about Earth.

”For a very long time, the Demon Realm has failed to produce a Demon God.”

Marek’s voice became quieter, yet every demon heard him.

”Many believe the problem is not a lack of talent. They believe our world has reached its current limit.”

The Demon Realm’s World Core was not powerful enough.

Its World Grade was too low to support a new being at that level.

This was not a proven truth. Even Demon Kings and ancient scholars disagreed about the exact nature of gods and worlds. However, enough powerful demons believed the theory for entire kingdoms to invest armies and resources into assimilation.

”If the Demon Realm consumes portions of Earth’s World Law, our World Core may grow,” Marek said. ”As it grows, our entire realm evolves.”

Demonic Energy would become denser.

Rare plants would grow more easily.

Demon children could be born with stronger bodies and greater natural potential. High ranked bloodlines might awaken more frequently, and high-ranking demons could draw more power from the world around them.

Most importantly, the maximum level of power the Demon Realm could support might increase.

Marek then spoke of another belief.

”The assimilation of earth’s laws and the invasion also relates to the Hell Holes and Hell Stones.”

The attention of many recruits sharpened immediately.

Hell Stones were part of nearly every demon’s life. They were wealth, cultivation resources, and fuel for countless formations and artifacts.

”Many wise demons believe their appearance is connected to the war with Earth,” Marek continued. ”They believe the first Hell Holes were born after the Demon Realm assimilated enough foreign World Law to change itself.”

According to that theory, Hell Holes were places where the strengthened World Core released greater concentrations of Demonic Energy and Chaos.

Hell Stones were one of the resources created by that change.

If the theory was true, the war had already made the Demon Realm stronger once, and many high ranking demons believed that further assimilation could create even greater changes.

Marek looked over the recruits one final time.

”Ordinary demons cross rifts for treasure, merits, territory, revenge, or strength. Minor kingdoms may fight for land and future resources.”

His gaze became colder and far more distant.

”But Demon Kings, royal families, and ancient powers are not spending armies merely for gold, hell stones, artifacts, or wealth.”

”They are trying to evolve our world.”